Whitehorse Daily Star

March 28, 2013

• Group launches Easter Sled Smart Campaign The Yukon Avalanche Association (YAA) is reminding snowmobilers to stay safe in the back country this Easter weekend.
• Be innovative in providing housing, expert advises The Yukon was built by people who took a chance and tried something different.
• Latest school spending plan puzzles MLA The Yukon government's announced intention to spend $27 million this year alone to begin building a new F.H. Collins Secondary School raises as many questions as it answers, says Klondike MLA Sandy Silver.
• Musical Education Rob Ziegler teaches the euphonium section last weekend
• YCS envisions mines, all-season roads in the Peel The Yukon Conservation Society (YCS) is refuting the territorial government's claim that allowing roads and industrial development in the majority of the Peel watershed is compatible with tourism and the environment.
• Government to intensify French language services As of April 1, the Yukon government will invest $289,000, pending legislative approval, to introduce three pilot projects to strengthen French language services in the health and social service sector.
• Building A Better Community Copper Ridge Place residents were recently presented with five Dell laptop computers from representatives of the Rendezvous Rotary Club.
• Official Opposition recruits new chief of staff Quebecer François Picard is set to take the helm as the new chief of staff of the Yukon NDP official Opposition caucus, Opposition Leader Liz Hanson announced last week.
• Gallery Gathering Sounds Whitehorse artist and performer Nicole Bauberger performs Tuesday evening with her band
• Author's memoir recalls the early days of Dawson tourism Jim Lotz spent quite a bit of time thinking about and visiting the Yukon in the early 1960s, as an employee of what was then the Department of Indian Affairs.
• Campground gets an early opening People planning to go ice fishing or enjoy the great outdoors over the Easter weekend can add the option of Fox Lake territorial campground to their list of locations.
• Housing prices have tumbled, statistics say The most recent real estate statistics show a drop of $34,400 in average local house prices.
• MLAs' committee to examine fracking The Yukon government plans to establish a select committee of the legislature to examine the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing.
• Sima summit emerges from closed council meeting The future of Mount Sima could soon be in the hands of its entire community.
• Gov't. granted right to intervene in hunger strike A Yukon Supreme Court judge has granted the territorial government the right to intervene in the case of an inmate who has been consuming nothing but liquids for the last five months.
• Education officials working on new policy A draft strategy for implementing the Education department's sexual orientation and gender identity policy at Vanier Catholic Secondary School is planned to come into effect in May, Education's deputy minister announced Wednesday evening.
• ‘Hate crime' victim's mom was told to keep quiet Shara Layne's mom was the first to address Vanier Catholic Secondary School's council last night, at the first public meeting since the school's policy on homosexuality sparked a community outcry a month ago.

March 27, 2013

• Territory to change the Education Act The Yukon government plans to increase the number of hours students are in class and the number of professional development hours for teachers.
• Ultimatum to First Nations is withdrawn The Yukon government has retracted its ultimatum regarding a new resource royalty-sharing agreement with self-governing First Nations.
• Riverbank erosion work expected to take six weeks Millennium Trail walkers could find themselves taking another route for up to six weeks this spring.
• Did you know? On the trail of local history! Ed. note: these historic items, submitted by the Whitehorse History Book Society, are published every second Wednesday.
• New Democrats expose hospital's dirty laundry Laundry from Dawson City's new hospital will be transported 530 kilometres to Whitehorse for washing – and then back again.
• Talented Trumpeters Conrad Funk-Robitaille and Bill Barrick teach the trumpets
• ‘There is a big problem': MLA Both opposition parties have spoken out after the mass resignations of the Yukon Medical Council's former members.
• Food vendors asked to digest lottery plan Let the lottery begin....
• ‘My back is against the wall,' developer tells city council A local developer has at least two more weeks to get his development permits in place if he wants to build to the current 10-metre height limit.
• ‘The system has come to a grinding halt' All six members of the Yukon Medical Council, the territory's licensing and regulatory board for doctors, have resigned.

March 26, 2013

• Major housing conference begins The Yukon Housing Corp., Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada are hosting the 2013 Northern Housing Conference: Housing Outside the Box, today and Wednesday in Whitehorse.
• Initial results of housing report released Members of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition's (YAPC's) Housing Task Force have completed their annual review of progress made on the recommendations from A Home for Everyone: A Housing Action Plan for Whitehorse, released in 2011.
• Housing plan announcement made as conference begins The Yukon government announced today it has begun work on a housing action plan for the territory.
• Prompt action helps save stricken driver RCMP officers jumped into action Monday night to help a local resident in medical distress.
• A Welcome Sight The photographer reported close to 50 swans after she took a walk Monday evening along the Teslin River near Johnson's Crossing.
• Women's Centre to offer lecture Thursday evening The Victoria Faulkner Women's Centre, with the assistance of the territorial Women's Directorate, will present a free public lecture
• First Nations spurn government's ultimatum Three Yukon First Nations have refused to give in to an ultimatum laid out by the territorial government last week.
• Soccer pitch tragedy spurs legislation The Yukon government has tabled new legislation on the safe use of moveable soccer goals at public recreational facilities in the territory.
• ‘Mount Sima hijacked the whole process' City taxpayers will pay an extra 3.83 per cent on their property taxes this year and nothing less.